The Battle Nexus
by Mona.E.Lisa
Summary: 2k12 verse with Hunger Games elements - The Battle Nexus is one of Nexus' longest running traditions. Its one of the ultimate acts of strength, skill and sportsmanship. And I'm here, staring down it's reigning champion with an axe poised to take my head off.
1. Let the Sky Fall

The plan had gone perfectly. Well, until the Foot started cornering me. I was supposed to lead them away from their stash of mutagen, buy my bros some time to grab it and then get out. But the warehouse had quickly become a maze, crawling with Foot and crates.

I heard my bros chase after me, bags packed and clinking. I've barely had time to register their presence then Karai is in front of me and I'm blinded. I fling my arms up to my face and yell out, but the light takes me over and pulls me into… I'm not sure.

I just feel lost at this point. Floating, but different parts of me are at different places. The sensation reminds me of one time when one of Donnie's things exploded…

Ok, so it didn't 'explode'. I was poking something I admit I shouldn't have been and I got a zap. Not anything too bad, but it was enough to throw me on my back, smacking my head on the ground. Don was quick to be at my side then. He sounded panicked when I wasn't responding to anything he said or did. But I was stunned, as I am now, relishing in the disjointed freedom of self.

But I'm scarred. My sight isn't floating and blurred like it was then. It's white, harsh and unnatural – kind of how I imagined death as a kid. I try and draw my arms back to me, suddenly dreading this. I'm so not dying! My last words will not be, "Sure can, Leo!"

My body comes thundering back to me, and the spaceless white starts careening away from me.

No… I'm careening away from it! I don't have to worry about it for too long though, because I land quickly, but hard. Slightly dazed, I roll onto my stomach and try to take in where I am, but my head is spinning. I rest my head on my arms, deciding to instead hear what's happening around me. But there isn't much. I can figure out there' a few trees, but that's all I can pick up. Oh, and the dirt I'm lying on.

The feeling passes and I get up, wobbly at first. I dust myself off, picking little stones out of my skin. Where ever I am it hasn't rained in a long time, the ground is flat and dry. But it's not hot, which is confusing.

"You ok, boy?" I turn around to see a man leaning against a cane a foot taller than he is. His skin is a pasty yellow and the white hair on his head is pulled down and tied into his waist length is potentially the coolest dude I have ever seen.

"I'm cool. Where am I?"

He chuckles, "You didn't mean to fall out of the sky did you?"

"Does anyone?" We share a laugh and he gestures me to follow him.

"So what's your name, boy?"

"Michelangelo," I say, cringing at the sound of what has to be at least half of this guy's bones cracking and popping. "My bros call me Mikey though."

"Well, Michelangelo, you've landed here in Nexus."

Master Splinters' old 'stranger danger' lesson chimed in my head, but a quick pat of my belt comforts me – I'm armed. I also think I could take this guy if he tried anything. But I'm a ninja, out in a flat plain save for a few trees. This isn't my element.

"So where are we going?" I ask.

"To the closest town, Diam. It's a fair trek." I wonder is he means in general or just for him – and after half an hour-ish I still don't entirely understand what he meant, save got a bit of thirst.

And it then when it hits me – how do I get home? Plans are Leo's thing; ideas Don's; and I'm sure Raph has a thing relative to my current situation. But I generally follow them; I don't need to make plans. I mean, I'm not immune to coming up with something (have you seen my pranks?) but with Leo, Raph and Don to rely on I don't need to think about this sort of thing.

Actually, I don't think cross-dimensional travel crosses their minds too much either.

Is that what this is? Another dimension? Seems like it; at least that's what I can gather from the slightly alien trees and, of course, my yellow guide.

"So, where is Nexus exactly?" I ask. The man lets out a heavy sigh and stops walking to look at me.

"Relative to what? Your world?"

"I guess?"

"I can't answer that question for you, boy."

"Well, do you know how I can get back home?"

"Got any magic?"

"No."

"Here in Nexus portals are made with magic. If you aren't magically inclined yourself then you buy some." He paused and looked me up and down. "If you don't have magic, how did you get here?"

I have to think back to that flash of light. All I can guess is that Karai 'persuaded' the Kranng to build her something. "A machine, I think. I'm not sure. It happened really fast."

"If that's the case, boy, you can really only hope whatever brought you here can take you back."

He starts walking again, and I follow him slowly, sort of stunned. What if I can't get back? I'm panicky now.

"How much does magic cost!?"

"You'll be working for years." He throws me a glance over his shoulder. "You can stay with me. I have a spare bed."

I feel a bit overwhelmed and stop dead in my tracks. He turns and stares at me quizzically. This dude just met me and he's offering me a bed for what could be a very long time. I can't bring myself to say anything, so I dip my head and bow.

"What _are_ you doing?"

"Thanking you," I mumble coming back up. "I was taught bowing is respectful."

He gives me a funny look and glances up at the sky before wordlessly moving on. I follow, still a little staggered, and after about thirty minutes we reach a little town.

"This is Diam. Don't bow at anyone here. You'll freak 'em out."

Most of the homes on the outer edges of Diam were mud houses and the closer we got to the town's centre the more wooden ones popped up.

"Keep your head down, don't talk, don't make a scene." I nod and slowly the crowd around us thickens. The old man grabs my hand and leads me along.

The crowd isn't huge, maybe a few hundred, riddled mostly with men, women and children with orangey tan skin and dark, dark hair. Raggy clothes and thinness looks like the common feature amongst most of the people. The old man takes us up to the very front of the crowd. In front of us there's a stage, empty save for three chairs and a pedestal topped with a bowl full of papers.

The crowd quiets down and three people walk on stage – a man, a woman and a guard. The guard is decked out in shining gold armour, with a spear to match and teal detailing and cape. The man looks like the townspeople, just fatter and better dressed. The woman however has bright red hair, pink skin and is wearing a body suit so tight she might as well not have worn it. The guard and her sit down and the man steps to the front of the stage, and it's now I realise the nervous tension in the crowd; people fidgeting, dead silence. I glance at the old man and he just presses a finger to his lips. It's oddly comforting.

"Hello, people of Diam!" the man on stage boomed. He had not microphone, but his voice was so loud my ears rang a little. "As you know, I am your mayor and we are here to celebrate this year's Battle Nexus!" He cheered and began clapping his hands in spastic motions. No one reacted to his enthusiasm, the crowd roaring with silence and he broke into a sweat. The woman behind him huffed, getting up and pushing him into his seat.

"Yes! And as many of you know the king was displeased with this year's entry numbers and has called for town's people, such as yourself, to compete. Let us see again Diam's name being called." She raised her arms above her head, and after a second an image appeared of a bowl full of papers and a man dressed in bejewelled robes with green skin. He plunged his hand into the bowl and picked a piece. He unfolded it and roared, "And the final town is Diam!" The image disappeared and the woman brought her arms down.

"That's it?" I murmur to the old man and he gives me a short glare. I look around and see stricken faces and down cast eyes. I suddenly feel intrusive.

"And as a volunteer town, one towns person will compete in the Battle Nexus!" the woman flicked her ponytail and drove her hand into the bowl. She picked a paper and her lips curled as she yelled out, "Bliss Sato!"

The broken wail easily over powered the gasps of the crowd. To my left the crowd parts and a thin, young woman comes to the front. But she is quickly followed by four small children, who scream and cry, crowding her. Whatever resolve she might have had crumbles.

And I'm not sure what it is exactly that consumes me, but I know why it does. I see my family in this huddle of people; one parent and four kids. I can't leave them like this, with that fear.

And that's what it is, that's what's coursing through me; fear. I'm scared for these people; these kids; this mother; this family.

"Wait!" I lunge towards the stage, my hand raised in the air. "I'll take her place!"

* * *

**So, obviously Nexus is not the same as the nexus from 2k3. This is my creative liberty, if you will. **

**Tell me what you think. :)**


	2. When it Crumbles

My voice rings in my ears and I can feel every eye in the crowd on me. But none more so than the family's – but I can't read it, I'm giving a heavy stare to the woman on stage; daring her, begging her to take me. My arm is still raised in the air. Inside I'm a mess. I have no idea what I'm getting myself into. I've never heard a silence like this.

"Wonderful! Simply brilliant!" the woman on stage cheers and gestures for me to walk on stage. I keep a straight face, as if this was my plan all along. And I'm a pretty good actor – I convinced my brothers when that wasp brainwashed them; I can play face. The only one not convinced I think is the old man. He has his long eyebrow raised at me. I fell out of the sky, he's not buying it.

The woman grasps my hand when I get on stage and asks me my name. I stick my chin up and say it.

"Michelangelo, wonderful. Ladies and gentlemen, the next entrant in the Battle Nexus, and representative of Diam, Michelangelo!" Slowly, the crowd begins to clap before clearing out to their homes.

"Now what?" I ask, noticing the old man and the family haven't moved an inch. And I don't think this woman has heard me, because she's yelling at the mayor.

"You could have ruined the whole thing! You bumbling mess of a man!" He looks like he's about to say something but she just scowls at him. "You know what? Never mind, just go! I can manage perfectly well on my own."

The man shuffles off and the guard doesn't know if he should follow. The woman waves him away and turns her attention to me.

"Hi," I say and wave at her, stupidly. "I'm Michelangelo, but call me Mikey."

She beams, "Wonderful, you already have a nickname sorted out!" She leads me down the stage and to the family. "Thank you for staying. It would have been a bother to have to track you down. Michelangelo, this is the Sato family, you'll be staying with them."

"Hello." I try to not look threatening and put on the smile April says makes her doubt I'm a ninja. It seems to soothe the mother and the smallest child. But two of them are still scowling and the other giving me a critical look. "Why am I staying with them?"

"To fulfil a debt," the critical child spits. All four kids are girls I think. They look around eight or nine, but only two have long hair, and I'm not about to make any assumptions.

"What debt?" I ask, "They don't owe me anything." I catch the mother's – Bliss's – expression, but its only there for a second. It's like the one Splinter has when he talks about heart break. The pink woman blinks at me like I'm an idiot.

"Forgive him," the old man comes up behind me. The woman looks bewildered, almost in awe of him. "The boy fell out of the sky." The children all squint up at the sky.

"He _fell_ out of the sky?" the pink woman says slowly and now I really feel stupid. These guys know something I don't.

"I don't think I know your name yet!" I say to the pink lady. She seems like the kind to want to talk about herself. I don't like how they're all looking at me.

"Oh, forgive me! I'm Nephusim, I'll be your cultural coach for the Battle Nexus." She puts on a smile. "And you clearly have a lot to learn. Ms Sato, your home?"

Bliss nods and hurriedly ushers her children on. We, a motley crew of a pink lady, a yellow man, a green dude and five orangey tan people, walk for about ten minutes before we reach a building with 'BUTCHER' written in bold at the top of the door. The building doesn't look as dilapidated as some of the other buildings in Diam. It's made of wood, old wood, but I still assume it's a sign of wealth.

The front of the building is a butcher's store front. Plain and simple. The second room is bigger, with carcases hanging from the ceiling, with knives and cleavers arranged on the wall above a table. The back end of the building is made up of three small rooms. I think two bedrooms and a living space. Most of the living space is taken up but the kitchen and a dining table.

"Tea?" Bliss asks, having sent the kids to their room.

"Please," Nephusim says, helping the man into a chair.

"I don't know your name either," I say to the man, feeling really rude.

"Just call me Sir, boy."

Bliss boils water on a fire in her brick over. She kneels by it, avoiding eye contact.

"Michelangelo," Nephusim starts. She's mellowed down a bit and her skin seems duller. "Do you have any idea what the Battle Nexus is?"

"No. I mean, I'm guessing it has something to do with fighting."

"You are very correct. The Battle Nexus is one of Nexus' longest running traditions. It is one of the ultimate acts of strength, skill and sportsmanship." Nephusim seems to pick up a bit more of her zealous, waving her arms, raising her chin.

"It's very dangerous," Sir adds. "The prize is very generous, though you won't see a lick of it."

"Why not?"

"As representative of Diam, a portion of the winnings will go to the town's people," Nephusim says. "And you volunteered, meaning you didn't pay an entrance fee, so most of your winnings will come to the Sato family. This is why they will be housing you for the training periods before the Battle."

"What did you want for dinner?" Bliss shoots up to her feet. She looks appalled with herself, I guess for not asking earlier. "What typically makes up a feast where you come from?" I'm stunned, we don't have feasts. I'm lucky if I can get the oven to cook a cake evenly during winter.

"Oh, don't you worry," Nephusim waves her off, "I'll handle the food, for all of you. I see a champion in this boy."

"Campion!?" Now Bliss is scandalised. "He _fell_ out of the sky! And he knows nothing about the Battle. He's a child – do you even know if he's of age?"

"I'm sixteen." I feel like I'm butting in. "And I've been training in martial arts for, like, twelve years."

"Wonderful! Simply wonderful!" Nephusim grabs my hand. "That's more than some people twice your age."

The tea is done. Bliss pours four cups out. They're chipped and cracked, but they do the job. The tea tastes like the stuff Master Splinter likes but drinks sparingly.

"Thank you," I say with a nod of my head. Bliss gives me a funny look and Sir taps me on the back of the head with his cane.

"What did I tell you about that bowing, boy?"

"It wasn't a bow! It was a nod!"

"It was a stunted bow!"

Nephusim looks highly entertained by our exchange, "This will make great viewing! Tell me, how are you two related?"

"I found him on the ground," Sir says dryly. "I'll be the boy's mentor for the battles."

Nephusim lunges out of her chair, jumping in circles on the spot, yelling things like 'perfection' and 'wonderful'.

"Ms Sato," Sir turns to Bliss, "Can you please contact the town carpenter and ask him to make us some targets. Nephusim, arrange some mapponents. We need to see what the boy can do." The mood drops immediately and Nephusim becomes very stern.

"I'll worry about the carpenter. Bliss, try and get your daughters acquainted with Michelangelo. I think united is the approach we need. But first, Sir, ask him what weapons he can use." She leaves, mumbling things to herself.

Sir nods at my belt and tells me to put everything I have on the table. My chucks, kunai and shuriken. Bliss doesn't seem too impressed with them. Sir nods, taking a chuck in his hand.

"I've seen these before, they're impressive. But are you skilled?"

"Shell yeah! I'll show-"

"Not in my house you're not!" Bliss all but wails.

"No, no he won't," Sir pats her hand. "We can worry about demonstrations tomorrow. What martial art do you learn, boy?"

"Ninjutsu."

I feel like I'm in a job interview and being scrutinised for my every skill. I tell them what weapons I'm good with, others I'm not. And when I say them I mean Sir. Bliss stays quiet, refusing to look at either Sir of me.

"Well, I'll make sure these three will be in the arena for you," Sir says, "I'll wait until tomorrow before deciding what else to get you."

We stay silent for a little bit. No one looking at each other and I don't like it. Silence always made me want to claw at my ears – silence and loneliness go hand and hand.

"So how does the Battle Nexus work?" Bliss refuses to look at me and Sir refuses to look at Bliss. Sir breathes in real deep and looks me square in the eye.

"The most important thing you need to know about the Battle Nexus is it's a battle to the death."

Wait… what?

* * *

**Sorry it tastes like filler...**


	3. We Will Stand Tall

"I'm gonna slit your throat!"

A foot solider said that to me once, and he would've made good on it too if it weren't for Raph. He knocked the guy off me – I was barely holding his sword back with my chucks. I didn't tell Raph what the guy said until we got back to the lair when he noticed something was off.

But now, with that threat – the first time someone had threatened to kill me in honesty – running through my head, without Raph to hover, without Raph to tell Leo and Don so that they hover too and for me to pretend I don't notice, I have only a couple of strangers, one who won't even look at me. But Sir doesn't miss a beat.

"The Battles are split up into two events. There are the elimination rounds, to separate the men from the boys, if you will. Then you move on to the Nexus Field, where it's a free for all." Sir breathes in deep. "The elimination rounds aren't necessarily battles to the death, but you can't afford to lose and live."

"Why?"

"The kingdom won't appreciate you wasting their time. I can bet you Nephusim is out there collecting information on Ms Sato here. And she'll have to report back to the kingdom whether or not you would put on a better show than Ms Sato."

"What you happen if he got out of the e-rounds alive?" Bliss keeps staring at the wall. Sir considers the nunchaku still in his hands.

"I would have to say judging by your weaponry your ability couldn't be denied, and the fact you volunteered, if it was felt you threw the elimination rounds," his voice gets really quiet, "It is more likely they would kill one of the children, and not the boy." My mind goes blank so quick I feel light headed. Bliss doesn't move. Not an inch.

What the _hell_ kind of place is this?

"What do I have to do?"

"Win" Sir says shortly.

"Why did you even volunteer?" Bliss spits bitterly, finally looking at me. I can sense Nephusim hovering in the doorway, not yet seen by Sir and Bliss. Whatever she had gone out to do, she's done it quick.

And I seriously have to think about it. I know why I volunteered, but how do I say it? She probably hates me. All I see are men in gold and teal armour making Bliss choose which of her children should die.

"You remind me of my family," I whisper. She doesn't look like she believes me. Nephusim steps in, holding a dead bird by the neck.

"I have dinner!" she says proudly. "I bought it from a quaint little man in the street. I trust as town butcher you are well equipped to pluck this bird."

Bliss nods and takes the bird into the middle room. And I'm relieved she's gone.

"Tell me about your family," Nephusim pulls up a chair very close to mine. She doesn't miss a beat and the tension doesn't seem to faze her. It calms me for whatever reason, but her closeness puts me on guard.

"I, uh, have three brothers and a father." I sound stupid and stunted.

"No mother?" Nephusim doesn't sound patronising or irritated like she was with the mayor. I don't know why but she's holding her patience for me.

"No, we're adopted."

"And you learned to fight from your father?"

"No, Mather Splinter taught us to defend ourselves. Never fight unless someone else starts."

"That won't get you far." Nephusim puts her hands on my shoulders and stares into my eyes. "When you're in that field the fight has already started. Don't wait for someone else to throw the first punch, because it may well be the last thing you do."

Nephusim's tone can only be described as motherly and it makes my stomach twist. I want to crawl into my shell and never come out.

"And no one will have mercy because of your age," I turn to look at Sir. "If anything, it'll make you a target."

"To survive brutality, you must be brutal." Bliss steps in, holding the now be-headed, gutted but still feathered bird by the legs.

"Aren't you going to pluck it?" Nephusim asks.

"If you oil it right the feathers fall out and become edible."

"Like chips?" I ask.

"Something like that." Bliss slams the bird on the bench next to the oven and starts rubbing different oils onto it.

"Oh you townspeople and your customs," Nephusim shakes her head, looking at me. "There is one week before the elimination rounds begin. You'll compete in five rounds. The final pool with be thirty six. The numbers came through whilst I was out."

Thirty six people going through five rounds each. Maths was never my thing, so I can't think of how many losers that would mean.

_Oh god, Mikey! What have you done!?_

"Your first opponent you will handle easily," Nephusim says calmly. "He enters every year but never makes it past the elimination rounds. Just kick him in the head, don't waste your effort killing him – it won't make you popular."

I can't just kick a dude in the face!

"Dinner will be an hour," Bliss takes the bird outside – I assume to her backyard. The brick oven must be too small to cook the bird.

"Your next battle will be a woman, if the bookmakers are any good at their jobs. I'll have to analyse her first round." Yep, there are no flies on Nephusim. Bliss is practically oozing tension and Nephusim's just not here. She must not see the rotting wood walls, the messily pieced together kitchen, or the dirt floors. It's like she's staring at the future and not me.

And I see out of the corner of my eye one of the bedroom doors cracked the tiniest bit. I can see the sliver of a face peering at me. I can't see enough of the face to read it, so I smile. I think it's the smallest child; it makes sense that it's her. I want to say hello, maybe coax her out but I don't know how Bliss will react and I'm not about to over step my boundaries.

But at my smile, the sliver lights up, and the crack in the door widens and a little girl dashes out.

"Hello," she says when she reaches me. "I'm Mish," she sticks her hand out, expecting me to shake it. "I know your name. It's Michelangelo."

"Yep!" I shake her hand. "But my bros call me Mikey. It's nice to meet you, Mish."

"How many brothers do you have?"

"Three."

"Wow!" Her eyes go wide and she props herself on my thigh to get closer to my face. "I have three sisters! What are your brother's names?"

"Leonardo, Raphael and Donatello. But I call them Leo, Raph and Don." I smile a little wider. But Mish has gone blank, just staring at me. I think I broke her.

"My sisters are Lee, Raya and Doe," she says quietly.

If there's a God, he's laughing at me. Hard. Mish looks at me as if I hold the secrets of the Earth. Sir has his eyebrow raised as he shares a look with Nephusim.

"Wow," Mish says finally, jumping up and wrapping her arms around my neck. Then she just sits on my lap for a while. She asks me questions like what I like to eat, what kind of house I live in, what I do for fun.

"I draw and paint a lot."

"You draw!?"

Mish drags me off the chair and sits me on the floor and dashes off to her room. She comes back with paper and some black stuff. It's kind of like charcoal, which I never really like to use. If I had smaller hands I'd love it! But I smudge it too much.

"Draw your family," Mish says, "And I'll draw mine."

She's got plenty of paper, so I decide to go with one sheet for each of my family. And I start with Master Splinter, because I always do. Whenever I do portraits of multiple people I always go with the tallest person first, I just find it easier to scale everyone else that way.

After about fifteen minutes, Mish has gone through four pictures while I'm still on my first. I've just got the shape of the head right. It's taking me longer than I usually would thanks to the charcoal stuff and having to draw on the floor. Mish has abandoned her drawings in favour of watching me do mine.

"That's amazing!" she gasps.

I can't help but smile. When we were kids, my brothers never liked my drawings. They used to pick on me or purposely ignore me when they would draw together. Splinter told me they were jealous, and punished them but making them give me all their crayons. But I never drew outside my room again and I couldn't even try without the memory of Raph stamping on one of my drawings in a fit of jealousy clouding my head. I haven't even shown Splinter any of my work since. The only people who have seen anything is April and Casey. April because she knocked something in my room and stuff went flying. And Casey had only seen an old drawing I gave April the she had framed. But they had never _seen_ me draw, so it's a little weird to have Mish leaning against me, looking over my shoulder with her undivided attention.

"Thanks."

"Your father is very handsome," Nephusim says quietly, startling me. She's standing right next to me, hands on her knees, smiling at my drawing. "Do you get along with him?"

"Yeah, he's my hero."

"That's wonderful." I'm starting to feel like nothing Nephusim says is empty. Her voice is so sincere right now, with that motherly tone that makes me want to crawl into my shell with embarrassment. I try to focus on Splinter's eye.

"Are they here?" Mish asks.

"No. Is there a way they could come here?" I turn to Nephusim.

"Not unless they have a lot of money. All travel is barred during this time of year. The barriers were put up just after the representative ceremonies."

"How will I see them then?"

"The barrier is lifted after the Battle. You'll be able to go home then. Where do you come from?"

How should I know that?

"I live on Earth."

"Oh! Earth is a lovely place. I'll send someone to notify your family of your entry into the Battle Nexus!" Nephusim flitters off into the middle room.

"She's funny," Mish mumbles. "What's your dad's name?"

"We all call him Splinter," I say. "But his full name is Hamato Yoshi. We say our family name first."

"That's weird."

I sketch the curve of Splinter's eyebrow and suddenly there's an ache in my chest. I might never see them again.

What the hell am I doing?

"Do you miss them?" Mish asks, staring at my still hand.

"Yes." Mish wraps her arms around my neck again and I hug her back.

Every hug has an intention. And you never realise how much you need an 'its ok' hug until you get one.

* * *

**They're the best kind of hugs, honestly.**

**Tell me what you think. :)**


	4. And Face it All Together

Dinner was delicious. We only had the bird and its feathers, but it was a massive bird, more than enough to feed the eight of us. I don't think the girls have ever had such a big meal.

And Mish can't stop talking about it. She's swinging my hand merrily as we walk to the town centre so I can practice.

"Yeah, your mum is a very good cook."

"You hear that mum?" she turned to the rest of her family behind us. "Mikey likes your cooking!"

Bliss smiles for the sake of her daughter, "Great!"

"I don't get what their problem is, you seem really nice to me" Mish whispers to me.

"It's ok, not everyone can be friends quickly." Mish beamed at me.

"Hear that, mum? Mikey and I are friends!" She dashes ahead, dragging me along with her. "Come one, I want to see what you can do!"

Nephusim is waiting for us with Sir in the town centre. But Nephusim isn't pink. Her skin is a tan colour, kind of like a human's. Her hair is a dark brown like the town's people and she's in looser clothes as if she's going to train. She's talking to a man, pointing wildly and gesturing to a stack of flat wooden shapes. I think he's the carpenter.

The stage is gone, leaving an open round area. A few people stand around the edge watching. Nephusim had taken my weapons away with her last night and done her research. There were racks of weapons almost exactly like the ones we have at home, only so much newer and imposing. Some of the weapons she's got Splinter has, but his are so old he won't even use them.

"Isn't this a bit extreme?" I ask. Nephusim pauses from ordering the carpenter where to put his dummies.

"Of course it is! I don't expect you to know all of them but I wasn't about to limit your options."

My conversation with Sir and Bliss last night rings in my head. I have to put on a show and do better than Bliss might have.

"Where do I start?"

"Target practice," Sir points to the wooden shapes set upright. "Just stationary. We'll test your moving aim on the mapponents later."

"Mapponents?"

"Magic Opponents," Mish says proudly. "They're like living practice dummies."

"Cool."

"Mish, come here! We're watching from here," Bliss calls, pressing as close to the edge of the centre as possible.

"Good luck!" Mish calls as she runs to her family.

"I see you're doing well getting to know the family," Nephusim says to me when Mish is out of earshot.

"Not really" I say. "Mish really likes me, but her sisters didn't talk to me much after you and Sir left. And Bliss and I had a fight."

"What did you do?" Sir asks.

"Nothing! She was going to give me her bed and sleep on the floor."

"And what happened?"

"I slept on the floor. But then I freaked one of the girls out so she's even madder at me."

"So you did do something?"

"No, I was sleeping and she screamed!"

"Why?"

"I was in my shell."

I had fallen asleep on the floor in the living area, in my shell. It's the only way to sleep comfortably without a mattress and I refused to take Bliss' bed from her. But Lee had woke up in the middle of the night to get a drink. And what is a child supposed to do when they see someone with no arms, legs or head? Scream, duh.

"Mum, his heads gone!"

"Whose head!? I cried, coming out of my shell.

"You should use that in the Field," Nephusim says.

"She fainted, Nephusim."

"You're right. We want to keel them over, not push them over."

Great. "Did you get someone to see my family?"

"Yes! After escorting Sir to his home, I got special permission to see your family on official 'Battle Business'." She seems very proud of the term. "You have a beautiful family, Michelangelo."

"How did they react?" I can imagine how it happened. Nephusim appearing in the lair, in some spectacular, glittery way and her tall, Amazonian build towering over even Donnie. They'd all be edgy, possibly draw their weapons waiting for Splinter's signal.

"They were very understanding." Nephusim smiles. That doesn't sound like them. "Let's start with the shuriken!"

She hands me a leather pouch and drags me to a cross she's marked in the ground and tells me to throw the shuriken one at a time. About fifteen metres away is a wooden plank in the shape of a person. Little targets are drawn on different parts of it. There are five targets and I have five shuriken. I let them fly hard and fast. Each hits a target, not bullseyes but still good. Nephusim claps.

"Wonderful! Are you just as good with the kunai?" I shrug. I've never been good at gauging my own abilities, and this is the last place I want to be over selling myself.

"You don't like standing still, do you, boy?" Sir asks.

"Why?"

"You keep fidgeting."

"Are you anxious?" Nephusim asks. "What about?"

"Where do I start?"

"Well, you don't need to worry about the elimination rounds. I did my research and your fights will be easy. No one has what you have."

"What's that?"

"Experience," Sir says. "Skip kunai. The boy can throw. I want to see him work with a bow and arrow."

"Oh yes!" Nephusim claps. "And I thought it would be nice for you to take a little piece of Diam into the Field with you, so I brought you a bow native to the area for you to use. If you're any good with it, we'll get it into the Field." It's beautiful, a bit bigger than what I'm used to, but I'll get used to it.

"It's similar to the one Ms Sato uses for her business" Sir says. That makes sense that the town butcher would have to catch their own game. But I get nervous. Now I was to impress her, maybe make her like me a little bit more. I take the quiver from Nephusim and sling it over my back.

I take a deep breath as I load an arrow. I feel sick. It's so stupid that a wooden dummy is making this whole thing real. I bring the bow up and aim. I hold my stance focusing on the dummy. More people are milling around the edge of the centre. I try to block them out, keeping the dummy the only-

That dude's hair makes him look like a poodle!

_Mikey!_

I let the arrow fly, and it hits the dummy in the neck, an area with no target. The wood of the dummy is thin, so when the arrow hits its mark the neck cracks and the head falls off.

I've made my point.

But I keep going. There are five more dummies set up. I walk down the line, letting arrow after arrow fly, hitting a vital point every time.

Thank god Splinter made us learn archery.

It's dead silent. I turn to Nephusim, who's staring, mouth agape. She catches my eye, stares for a second then shrieks in delight.

"That was impressive, boy." Sir gives me a nod and I hear a few people clapping. Something bubbles in my chest.

"Yeah, Mikey! Way to go!" Mish hollers and that something bubbles up into my throat.

And I love it. I want it to stay bubbling forever.

"What's next?"

"Yes! Good, keep that momentum going." Nephusim shrugs the quiver off me and takes the bow. "I'll get you some mapponents." Sir takes me by the elbow to the weapon stand. Nephusim tells the carpenter to remove the dummies. The idle chatter that's started stops as Nephusim waves for everyone to quiet down.

"People of Diam!" Her voice booms just as it did on the stage. "We are about to start the mapponent demonstration. We only as that you keep to the boundary of the centre. If you come closer the mapponents _will_ attack you."

"Can't she just use her magic to create a force field or something?" I whisper to Sir. He sighs.

"I suppose I _should_ say it's because she's forbidden to use her magic like that. But truly? Why protect an idiot?"

I guess he has a point.

"I'm an idiot," I say with a smirk on my face. Sir hits me in the head with his cane.

"I'm well aware."

"Michelangelo!" Nephusim calls. "Come here please."

Sir pushes a set of chucks into my hands and pokes me into Nephusim's direction with his cane. I feel like a little kid. Like the first time Splinter let us spar and I needed some extra encouragement.

"So what are we doing?"

"You're about to take on mapponents. They will aim to kill you, but will always stop short. And none of them will have too long a range weapon. Ok?"

"Yep." Sounds kind of like the Foot-bots back home, only with less intent of killing me. "Let's do this."

"That's the spirit!" Nephusim pumps her fist in the air. "And remember, aim to kill."

Boy, does she know how to kill a mood or what?

She waves her arms around for a bit and goes to stand with Sir. After a couple of seconds, blue, globby people rise from the ground, five in total. They're all armed: two swords, a staff, some knives and twin katana. I spin my chucks and tuck them under my arms.

_Come on, Mikey! No pressure, it's just like home._

Ok, so that doesn't help. The mapponents are waiting for me to move. Nephusim must have them set on easy or something. They have no faces and if it weren't for the fact there are slightly more pressing things on my mind, I'd probably think about how they're the creepiest things I've ever seen. They're like naked, blue Slendermen.

I try to focus. I dive back into everything Splinter has taught me, but only one thing comes to me.

_To survive brutality, you must be brutal._

I spin my chucks and dive for the first swordsman. I kick it in the knee and ram the end of my chuck into the back of its head as it collapses, and swing my other chuck into the temple of the looming staff holder. I back flip away from them. The swordsman and the staff holder both dissolve, and the other three approach me steadily in defensive stances.

_Don't wait for someone else to throw the first punch. It may well be the last thing you do._

I charge, arms extended behind me and chucks spinning. They each go a separate way – one head one and two on each side. The swordsman is in front of me and swings its sword down. I catch it with my chucks, wrapping the chain around the blade. It's too stupid to let go, so I swing it to my left and into the knife holder. They dissolve upon contact and I turn to block the katana coming at my head. The blade hits my chain and we hold the pose. I stare into the mapponents faceless blue head. I kick it in the guts to force it back. I need to get ground; I need to get the upper hand. The mapponent stumbles and I pounce. I jump and swing to kick it in the head. It staggers back and stills. I stand ready for it to recover, but it falls and dissolves before it hits the ground.

"That's it?" I mumble to myself. I look over to Nephusim, still on edge, in fight mode. Nephusim cocks an eyebrow at me and I nod at her. She smiles, bows her head and waves her arms in my direction. More mapponents come up from the ground.

I go nuts. I've made my point; I've shown I can defend myself, now I just want to blow off steam. And there's a lot.

Bliss doesn't like me.

The girls don't like me.

I could get one of them killed.

I got myself involved in a blood sport.

I have no idea what I'm going to do.

I might never see my family again.

My last words to my brothers were 'Sure can, Leo!'

And _apparently_ they're very understanding!

"BOOYAKASHA!"

I don't know how long I'm at it. Mapponent after mapponent, Nephusim keeps firing them at me and it feels good to let out all this negative energy.

The flow of mapponents stops suddenly, and on one hand I'm glad because I'm spent, on the other I don't want to stop. This venting is good! I can see why Raph loves going nuts on the punching bag.

"What happened?" I call to Nephusim, who's talking to Sir.

"That's enough for now," she says, starting to walk over to me. "The elimination rounds will be an absolute breeze for you! Isn't that wonderful?"

"Relax, boy," Sir says, following Nephusim. "You'll make a good e-round fighter."

"But?" I ask. I can feel it hanging in the air.

"There's a chance it may not translate well into the Battle Field." Nephusim takes my chucks from me. "We'll be sure to get you a set of these in the Field!"

"What do we do next?"

"You'll take a break," Nephusim grins. "You and I are going to go hand to hand."

I wish I didn't ask.

* * *

**Sorry I took a little bit. We cool?**

**I got a question in a review about how the family at home would react. I would love to show it, but not in this story. I'd had to start another one for that because otherwise this one would become too cluttered, writing the same thing twice. I might get onto that soon. For now, the mystery remains. ;)**


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